😐A single person spends $2,215 per month in Scranton, PA vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $3,123 per month in Scranton, PA vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $4,031 per month in Scranton, PA vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.
😐Scranton, PA costs about 72% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Scranton, PA sits 65% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Scranton, PA
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.24$12.24
$11.94MX$209
2.51%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$91.4$91.4
$42.75MX$748
113.85%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.04$6.04
$10.59MX$185
-42.97%
Cappuccino
$4.61$4.61
$3.62MX$63.4
27.35%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47$1.47
$1.47MX$25.69
-
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.03$1.03
$0.94MX$16.51
9.57%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.84$5.84
$3.09MX$54.1
89.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.19$7.19
$4.46MX$78.0
61.21%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Scranton, PA
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$0.78$0.78
$1.43MX$24.94
-45.45%
White Bread(500g)
$1.41$1.41
$1.88MX$32.97
-25.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.20$2.20
$1.63MX$28.50
34.97%
Eggs
$3.32$3.32
$2.64MX$46.26
25.76%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.19$13.19
$8.21MX$144
60.66%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.85$9.85
$8.29MX$145
18.82%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.98$10.98
$11.10MX$194
-1.08%
Apples(1kg)
$3.65$3.65
$2.65MX$46.40
37.74%
Banana(1kg)
$1.28$1.28
$1.50MX$26.26
-14.67%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.33$3.33
$1.99MX$34.79
67.34%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.47$4.47
$2.08MX$36.33
114.90%
Potato(1kg)
$3.27$3.27
$1.79MX$31.29
82.68%
Onion(1kg)
$2.79$2.79
$2.18MX$38.09
27.98%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.02$2.02
$1.08MX$18.84
87.04%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.96$0.96
$1.04MX$18.15
-7.69%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.53$6.53
$3.97MX$69.5
64.48%
Wine(Bottle)
$12.23$12.23
$10.20MX$179
19.90%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.97$1.97
$1.73MX$30.22
13.87%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.14$4.14
$2.50MX$43.71
65.60%
🚌 Getting Around
Scranton, PA
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.78$1.78
$0.52MX$9.07
242.31%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$59.0$59.0
$26.97MX$472
118.80%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.91$2.91
$3.14MX$55.0
-7.32%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.38$1.38
$2.40MX$42.04
-42.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$21.92$21.92
$3.09MX$54.0
609.39%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.88$0.88
$1.27MX$22.28
-30.71%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.5K$27.5K
$30.9KMX$540.4K
-10.87%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.8K$25.8K
$23.3KMX$408.0K
10.72%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Scranton, PA
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$268$268
$82.0MX$1,435
226.80%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$40.60$40.60
$22.45MX$393
80.85%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$50.4$50.4
$29.66MX$519
69.96%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Scranton, PA
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$30.04$30.04
$51.9MX$908
-42.09%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.75$15.75
$18.67MX$327
-15.64%
Cinema Ticket
$12.43$12.43
$4.97MX$87.0
150.10%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Scranton, PA
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$757$757
$198MX$3,462
282.49%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$42.4K$42.4K
$5,273MX$92.3K
703.59%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Scranton, PA
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.62$44.62
$36.34MX$636
22.78%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.96$29.96
$40.05MX$701
-25.19%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$74.0$74.0
$79.9MX$1,398
-7.32%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.4$84.4
$88.9MX$1,555
-5.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Scranton, PA
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,254$1,254
$963MX$16.9K
30.21%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,094$1,094
$465MX$8,133
135.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,031$2,031
$1,596MX$27.9K
27.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,513$1,513
$1,209MX$21.2K
25.19%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,602$1,602
$3,942MX$69.0K
-59.36%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,507$1,507
$6,448MX$112.8K
-76.63%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Scranton, PA
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,278$3,278
$720MX$12.6K
355.09%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.68
11.42
-41.51%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Scranton, PA: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $1,254 in Scranton, PA versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
💰Salaries run about 355% higher in Scranton, PA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $91.0 in Scranton, PA versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $251 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Scranton, PA vs Playa del Carmen: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Scranton, PA?
Yes – Scranton, PA is pricier by about 72%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,322 per month in Scranton, PA and $1,930 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Scranton, PA vs Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,215 in Scranton, PA and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 119% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Scranton, PA or Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,287, than in Scranton, PA at $2,215. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Scranton, PA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Scranton, PA or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Scranton, PA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Scranton, PA vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado